Normal Again
by Pickled Rellish
Summary: After drinking a potion, Harry starts to get confused on which is his real life. The Wizarding World, with his best-friends and magic; or a mental hospitial that he's been locked up in since he was eight, his parents both alive. AU; Pre-OotP.


**Author's Notes:** A random fiction, inspired by a Buffy the Vampire ep. ages ago - Buffy fans out there will be able to see the plot of that here. So, not only do I not own the original idea of Harry Potter, but I also don't own the actual plot - asides the few, minor, changes.

**Warning: **Confused people and a whole lot of crappy writing. It seems, however, that people on this site _enjoy_ that though.

**Summary: **After drinking a potion, Harry starts to get confused on which is his real life. The Wizarding World, with his best-friends and magic; or a mental hospitial that he's been locked up in since he was seven, his parents both alive. Pre-OotP.

**Notes:** This is a re-post. See profile for more information.

**Dedication: **Not to the fuckers of this site, who hasn't even put me on the search list - but to those who are here, and reading.

**Disclaimer:** Nope. Not mine. Imagine the possibilities if they were though!

* * *

**Normal Again  
**By Pickled Rellish

Harry and Neville had worked on this potion for the past half-hour or so, and still given the fact that theirs looked totally different to everyone else's, Snape insisted that one of the Gryffindor's drank it. It was a gunky green colour and it reminded Harry of trolls' snot, and that really didn't help in the matter of drinking it. It was _meant_ to be a 'Life Restorement Potion' but God knows what Harry and Neville had made.

"If one of you blatant fools can't decide who is to drink this abomination of a Potion – then I shall have to decide for you, myself." Harry held his breath as he knew what was to come … and _sure_ enough … "Ah, Mr Potter. Do show us the Gryffindor bravery and drink a healthy laden full."

Scowling, Harry lifted his ladle into the Potion and pulled it back out again. It was lumpy like the mash he was given at school when he was young – again, this didn't help when it came to drinking it. Everyone held their breath as The-Boy-Who-Lived, closed his eyes, swallowed his pride and drank deeply. Harry soon found out that it tasted as bad as it looked and smelt.

He flew his eyes open and they widened when, instead of seeing Snape's gleeful face and damp walls that were the dungeons, Harry was met with someone who sure as hell looked like Snape – but this Snape was dressed in all white, as were the walls that surrounded this man. Harry blinked in surprise and the normal Snape was back. He looked highly disappointed that nothing bad had happened to him.

"Ten points from Gryffindor, Potter and Longbottom, for a waste of Potion ingredients. You blundering fools must have made the Potion as docile as the pair of you." The bell rang loud and clearly, though to Harry it seemed slightly muffled. "Class dismissed," Snape spat.

Ron and Hermione were at Harry's side in record time, "You okay, mate? I wouldn't have drank that even if I was forced it!" Ron said as he packed Harry's things away for him.

"Huh? Yeah… fine… It wasn't that bad really…" Harry lied.

"Are you _sure_ you're alright, Harry?" Hermione asked as she took in Harry's paler than normal face and almost vacant look. "You seem a little distant."

They where beginning to walk out of Snape's class and down the corridor, "Wouldn't you be, 'Mione?" Ron said as he pulled a face. "That bloody Potion looked awful."

"But still…" Hermione persisted. "It's time for your drugs, Harry."

Harry's head shoot up at these words and he looked at Hermione who now looked as though she was a nurse of some sorts. She was dressed in a nearly all white uniform and Harry found that he was in the same white room as before. "W-what?" Harry stuttered.

"I said," Hermione repeated, "that it looks as though you're on drugs, Harry." And Harry blinked to see the real Hermione back and she was looking at him in a concerned way. "Harry, you're not alright are you?"

"I'm fine, Hermione. I just thought you said something else, that's all…" Harry muttered, his brow frowned. He blinked and shook his head – he was tired, that was all was up with him…

"I think he's just hungry," Ron said, just as his stomach growled deeply. "And for that matter, so am I. C'mon, let's go and get our dinner."

So the Hogwarts Trio – as they were known as – went into the Great Hall, glad that Potions was the last lesson of the week and thrilled that they finally had something to fill their empty tummies with – or maybe that was just Ron? It didn't take them long to eat and they soon found themselves in the Gryffindor Common Room, and Harry felt perfectly fine.

"We better get started on our weekend homework," Hermione said briskly, pulling out her Charms book. "Ron, don't you dare ask me for help later on if you don't do it now, because I won't give it you!" Hermione snapped as Ron went to argue.

So grumbling, Ron pulled out his own homework and Harry merely followed suit, not wanting to vex Hermione anymore than she already might be. So, sitting down at the same table they had done since being little First Years, the three began to work on their homework and Ron could be heard muttering, "I hate Charms… who'd want to grow their eyebrows down to their feet anyway?"

It was hours later and the three still worked on. Apart from Ron, because unknown to Hermione he was reading a comic, a huge book hiding it. Harry yawned and he took off his glasses to rub his eyes free of sleep, it was when he looked up did he get the shock of his life. The vibrant Gryffindor Common Room was gone, and so was Hermione and Ron. He was sitting bolt right up on a hard-feeling bed, his glasses-less eyes trying to figure out who the blurry people were in the white, plain, room.

As one of the people came closer, he instantly scrambled backwards until his back hit the wall. "Sssh, Harry," the male voice soothed. "It's me. Remember – Doctor Pelzer?" Dr. Pelzer said, speaking to Harry as though he were a small child. "Are you with us, Harry?"

"Y-yes," Harry rasped out, his once bright green eyes open in alarm. The man moved slightly closer and Harry was able to make his face out. He was Asian looking, with a long crooked nose and a very noticeable mole on his chin. He had no hair on his head but his eyebrows were thick, bushy and black. "W-where am I?" he asked as an after thought. "R-Ron an'… an'… Hermione…?"

"Who's Ron and Hermione?" a woman's voice asked from the far side of the room, the confusion evident in her voice. She was too far away for Harry to make out, but he was sure a much taller person (male most likely by the height) was stood right next to her, if not holding her.

"They're your friends, aren't they Harry?" the Doctor said slowly as he moved away slightly, his face becoming fuzzy. "They're your friends in that other world, aren't they?"

Harry's brow was frowned and he found himself twisting the covers on his bed uncomfortably. Everything seemed so real… yet so wrong. "Ron and Hermione?" he repeated unsurely. "W-where…?"

"Do you know where you are, Harry?" the Doctor asked soothingly. "You're in a Mental Institute. You've been here for the past seven years – do you remember, Harry?"

Harry was shaking his head, scrambling further back on the bed, "N-no… Dumbledore… need Dumbledore…"

"A very intelligent 'wizard'," Pelzer said, answering the unspoken question to the two people who were watching fearfully on. "None of that is real, Harry. You need to come back, Harry, your mum and dad miss you. They miss you, Harry. You need to come back to them."

Putting his head into his hands and tugging on his greasy hair, Harry shook his head from side to side, "No, no, no, no! Dead… they're dead!" he shouted frantically.

"Oh, we're not dead," the same female voice from before half sobbed. "We're right here, Harry. Oh, we miss you so much baby."

Very slowly, eyes slightly unfocused, Harry lifted his head up, "Mum?" he muttered, squinting his eyes and making out the trademark red hair that was Lily Potter's. "Dad?" hemumbled when he noticed that the person next to her had the same messy black hair as his own.

"Keep talking," Pelzer said quickly. "It might bring back some memories."

"Yeah, it's us, kiddo," James said with false happiness. "It's us."

"Oh, Harry, we miss you so much," Lily sobbed as she moved slightly closer to Harry's bed. "We miss you so very much. You've got to get better…"

"NO!" Harry yelled, throwing his pillow across the room. "Dead! You're dead, dead, **dead**! Voldemort… need Dumbledore – where's Ron and Hermione…" he was breathing extremely fast, his eyes glassy as he jumped out of bed and started to bang himself against the wall. "Get out, get out!"

"QUICK!" the Doctor yelled and no less than five men ran into the room and pinned Harry down. He was still trashing about and screaming until one of them managed to inject the anaesthetic into his body. All most at once it took effect.

Harry blinked and he was met with Ron and Hermione's concerned faces looming over him. He shot up from were he had been slumped in his chair only to be pushed back down by them.

"What the bloody well happened then?" Ron asked, his face pale against his freckles. "One moment you're rubbing your eyes and the next you're screaming about You-Know-Who and muttering a load of other things we didn't catch."

"I-I don't know…" Harry muttered feebly, his face stark white.

"I think you ought to go to Madam Promfey if you're ill, Harry," Hermione said, her large blue eyes full of concern. "You really don't look too good."

"I'm fine… just tired I think…" Harry mumbled, relaxing his tense shoulders and letting out a deep breath.

"C'mon then, Harry. It's late – I reckon we all should go to bed. It's past one am anyway," Ron said, quite happy to stop 'doing his homework'. "See you tomorrow, Hermione."

"See you tomorrow, Ron," Hermione answered, standing up herself as the two boys did also. "See you tomorrow, Harry – make sure you get a lot of sleep, okay?"

Harry smiled faintly at her from the steeps, "I will, Hermione. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

* * *

It was Saturday afternoon and Harry found himself in the Library, Ron grumbling at his side. "But, Hermione!" he protested for the fifth time. "It's a Saturday! Can't you look for whatever you're looking for on a Monday when we don't have anything better to do?" 

"Oh shut up, Ron." Hermione snapped back, passing another book down to him from the chair that she was stood up on. "I can't look for this on Monday because that's when it's due for!"

Ron threw the book absentmindedly onto the table beside him. "And God Forbid, you could never hand your homework in late," he muttered sourly.

"Not everyone does their homework on the last minute, Ronald Weasley. And just because you have the worst track record for homework ever, doesn't mean that you can pull me into your ways!"

"I _do_ do my homework, Miss Prissy – just not the second I get it!"

"Er, guys?" Harry muttered, his head in his hands while he sat loosely in a chair, Doctor Pelzer flashing back and forth into his mind, making him feel queasy.

Due to their arguing, they never heard Harry. "Well that sure does say a lot for you, Ron. We have our O.W.L's soon – or don't you even care?" Hermione shot back.

"I care – but not so much that I don't leave room for social time. You know this little thing called a life, Hermione? Well, we only get one of them."

"Ron… Hermione…" Harry muttered, his head still in hands, as he began to feel more sick by the second, his world twisting violently.

_"He's fighting to stay were he is,"_ Doctor Pelzer's voice bore its way into Harry's mind. _"He's starting to lose a grip on what is real and what is imaginary."_

"Exactly, Ron. We only get one life and I'm not going to waste it being some slob in front of the TV doing nothing all day. Harry agrees with me, because he's being smart and not saying anything – isn't that so, Harry?" Hermione said matter-of-factly. Both friends turned to Harry. "Harry?"

Harry, by now, had his arms in front of his face while his hands clutched onto his hair at the back, pulling it sharply. "R-Ron …?" he gasped out, peeking through a gap in his arms. The figure shifted from Ron's face to Doctor Pelzer's. He brought his arms more fully over his head, blocking anything visual out.

"Harry – what's up?" Ron asked, dropping the remaining books Hermione had shoved into his arms and shaking Harry's arm gently. "You alright, Harry?"

"I think we'd better get him to Madam Promfey," Hermione muttered tearfully.

Ron nodded his agreement and both Gryffindor's lifted Harry out of the chair by putting their hands underneath his armpits and dragging him upwards. Harry rested practically his whole body weight against the two and they hobbled uneasily out of the Library and to the Hospital Wing.

_"Harry… don't leave us. This is where you belong – this is your home,"_ Lily's voice said, worming its way into Harry mind. _"This your real home."_

* * *

Harry was sat on one of the Hospital beds, Ron and Hermione sitting in front of him, both wearing the same accusing expressions. Madam Promfey wasn't here at the moment (which Ron commented on, saying that that was rather dumb) as she was currently attending a funeral for her father – he had died at the astonished age of 126. 

"Harry…" Ron started off slowly. "What the hell was that all about?"

Hermione handed Harry a warm cup of tea. "If you're ill, then you should have told us. What's up – you can tell us anything, you know that. We're just worried, Harry, we don't mean to pry, but we care about you." Hermione said, her blue eyes in a sea of concern.

Harry's emerald eyes looked from Hermione's china-blue worried ones to Ron's chocolate-brown concerned ones and he sighed. "It's not as though I feel ill, Hermione. This all started after that stupid Potion in class, the other day. It's weird, you guys, because it feels so real… I'm in a-a Mental Home or something." Harry had his brow frowned as he spoke, "It feels so real … and when I come back here, it feels like a dream – but that's how this place feels when I'm there. The Doctor – Doctor Pelzer – he said I've been in that-that Mental place for seven years… And my parents are there." Harry whispered, looking up at his friends for the first time, "You don't know hard it is to leave, or whatever I do, when I have my mum pleading that I stay there…" he trailed off uncertainly.

"Harry," Hermione sighed, her eyes full of unwanted sympathy. "You've got to understand – you're not in a Mental Home. It's all just a hallucination from that Potion-"

"But I _have_ been in a Mental Institute, Hermione! That's the thing." Harry snapped back, looking directly into the girls' eyes. "When I was eight… the Dursley's… they chucked me into a 'Loony Bin' as they called it, because I wouldn't stop talking about Wizards and flying motor bikes. And-and, well, the thought struck me that what if I never left? I-I mean, this could all be a made up world from a insanefifteen-year-old. I could still be inside there …"

Harry looked so lost that Hermione nearly hugged him. "Oh God, Harry – why didn't you tell us?" she muttered.

"I-I-I was embarrassed, scared I guess," Harry muttered in reply to Hermione. "I just shut up about it and after a month I was sent back. I didn't mention anything else 'magical' under the Dursley's roof after that."

"It was the Dursley's, Harry – but don't you remember what happened before that?" Pelzer's voice cut in. "Your parents _sent_ you to the Dursley's – hoping you'd get better, but they gave your relatives permission to bring you here if you didn't, do you remember, Harry? Do you?"

"Harry?" Ron and Hermione questioned at the same time.

Harry found that he was sat on a chair, his glasses gone once more, and he was rocking back and forth, mumbling under his breath, his skinny arms wrapped around his PJ bottoms, the light blue material contrasting with his pale arms and dark mop top of hair. He looked across the way a little, and fairly close to him were his parents, talking to the Doctor who was stood besides him. "Ron-Ron… Hermione!" Harry muttered, making to jump off the chair.

"Now, now, Harry – clam down," the Doctor said as he slowly eased Harry back onto the chair. Pelzer took a seat behind his desk and after regarding Harry for a moment, he turned his attention to Lily and James. "Harry is currently having conflict – which world to stay in. As you've seen, he'll often flick from one reality to another. He's confused, unsure which is the real world."

"Why does he keep going back there?" James asked, his arm slung over his wife. "What could he possibly have there, that he doesn't here?"

"Over the years, Harry has made up his own fairy tale world, one where he is the saviour of. An orphaned child dumped onto his relatives after his parents were killed by the most 'evilest wizard' while he survived. A mere baby. He grew up miserably and on his eleventh birthday he got an acceptance letter to 'Hogwarts' – a school for wizards. Here – in his own little world – Harry is idolised, he is able to accomplish tasks no ordinary lad of his age could, and – of course – he has loyal friends, all of which, in some way or the other, have some special skill that helps them through their dangerous adventures."

"Ron and Hermione?" Lily questioned lightly.

"Precisely," the Doctor answered.

Harry was rocking back and forth, muttering, "Not real… not real… not real…"

"Here, in Harry's world, everything revolves around him and everyone depends on him. It is a typical fairy tale, the whole idea being completely ridiculous. But the burden of this world has been weighing down on Harry, it's all becoming too boring for him." Pelzer then turned to Harry, "That's why you brought Voldemort back, isn't it, Harry? You're getting bored and you just want it all too end – it's spiralled out of control and you can't take it anymore. Listen to me, Harry, and I can help you to end it all. I can help you get better, but you need to listen and trust me. Can you do that, Harry?"

Harry stopped rocking and lifted his lifeless eyes up to the Doctor, beginning to believe him how stupid the Wizarding World sounded, how totally unreal it all seemed. He nodded slowly and then blinked.

"Good God, Harry! Are you okay? You were just talking and talking, but not to us. It was though you couldn't see us – it's was scary! And you wouldn't stop rocking… you scared us so much," Ron gasped, his face the colour of chalk.

"We'll work on the antidote, Harry," Hermione promised as her eyes glistened. "You'll be better soon."

* * *

Harry was sat in the Gryffindor boy dorms while Ron and Hermione worked somewhere on the antidote. He'd been told just to wait here for them to return, as they wouldn't be long at all. So Harry stayed and mulled over his current situation. Which world was the real one? The both felt so… _normal_ and so substantial. But what Dr. Pelzer had said, stuck in Harry's mind as a fly would to a spider's web. The Wizardring World did seem so ridiculous and totally surreal. Was it possible that he was in the wrong world? That he was depriving himself from his parents while he lived out a fantasy life? It sure did seem so. 

A soft knock at the door informed him that Ron and Hermione were back (everyone else were at Hogsmeade until late tonight) so he muttered a soft, "Come in."

Hermione popped her bushy head around the door and then walked in, Ron following behind her proudly. "We have it," she said triumphantly. "All you have to do is drink it and you'll be better again." She placed the cup onto his bedside table and smiled warmly at her pale best-friend, "Me and Ron will wait downstairs in the Common Room for you, Harry."

"We will?" Ron muttered. Hermione grabbed his arm and pulled him out. "Okay _then_, we will."

After the door closed shut, Harry carefully picked the cup up, the red sloppy liquid inside of it starring back up at him. A thought stuck him as he raised it to his lips: was he doing the right thing? He could very well be in the wrong world, and this could be his only chance to save his _real_ life. What if the Potion they had made turned out right? It was a 'Life Restorement Potion' after all. Maybe this was his chance to restore his _real_ life, so he could live with his _real_ family and be a _real_ kid. Harry turned the liquid from his lips and then tipped it into the bin besides his bed. He looked up to see the faces of his mum, dad and doctor around him. He smiled over so slightly at them, "I want to get better," he muttered to them.

"Oh – thank you, Harry, thank you so much!" Lily sobbed, her bright green eyes filling up with tears. Harry turned his face to his dad to find that his china-blue eyes were also watery.

"Do you know what keeps pulling you back there, Harry? To that other world?" Doctor Pelzer asked slowly, so as not to alarm the boy in his care.

Harry found himself nodding ever so slowly, "Yes," he mumbled. "My friends."

"Yes, Harry, your friends, that's right. You have cut off everything that ties you to that world – by any means – if you want to get better."

Harry put his hand into his hands, tugging once again at his greasy hair, whimpering, "No… no… I can't… R-Ron… Hermione…"

"They're not real, Harry," James said, his bright eyes alight. "We're real – and we miss you. Please …come back to us."

Harry lifted his head up, his chapped lips trembling as his eyes watered, but he nodded all the same, "Okay…" he uttered. "Okay."

* * *

"He's taking an awful long time up there, Ron." Hermione said impatiently as she paced the length of the Gryffindor Common Room. "He's alright, isn't he?" 

"Quit your worrying, Hermione. Look – he's here now. Alright there, Harry? Back to normal again, I hope?" Ron said, leaping off his chair to greet Harry.

Harry looking at his friends, brought out his wand, and bellowed, "_Expelliarmus_!" Both wands flew over to him and he caught them with ease before he pocketed them.

"Harry! What're you doing?" Hermione asked, clearly shocked. Then it hit her and she turned to Ron. "He didn't take the antidote!" she whispered frantically.

"No _shit_ Sherlock," Ron muttered sarcastically. "Ten bloody points to Gryffindor. The question is – now what?"

"I don't know – I haven't got my wand otherwise I'd cast the full body bind and force him to drink it," she muttered. "Maybe we should just talk to him?"

"You first."

"Coward," Hermione seethed. "Harry? Harry, it's us – don't you remember us? We're your friends – your real friends."

"_Petrificus Totalus_!" Harry yelled, ignoring what Hermione had said. Both Ron and Hermione went ridged and the fell to the floor. Ron's eyes where darting everywhere while he chanted in his head, _'He's gone mad, he's gone mad, he's gone mad…'_ and '_We're gonna die, we're gonna die, we're gonna die…'_ "Accio Invisibility Cloak!" Harry's slivery cloak flew into his outstretched arms and he made his way over to Ron and Hermione. "I'm sorry I have to do this," he muttered, kneeling down besides a terrified Hermione. "But you're not real. Non of this is. _Mobilicorpus_!"

Invisible strings attached themselves to Ron and Hermione, and like some weird puppets, they rose into the air and Harry threw his cloak over the pair of them, so no one could see them. Harry kept his wand trained onto them, making sure his kept hold of something that belonged to them – this time it happened to be Hermione's foot. He hid his wand up his robe sleeve as he walked innocently out of the Gryffindor Common Room and began to walk up to the Astronomy Tower.

* * *

"Take your time, Harry," Pelzer said to the whimpering Harry. "Take as long as you need to." 

With a terrified yell, Harry jumped off the bed and curled himself up in the corner, mumbling hurriedly to himself.

Lily placed herself by Harry's side, smoothing his dirty hair off his sweaty face, muttering sweet nothings into his ear.

* * *

As Harry stood on the roof, the light wind ruffled his hair as he looked down. It was a long, long,_long_ way down. He took the cloak off Ron and Hermione, their terrified faces coming into view and Harry swallowed hard, closing his eyes tight. "I'll miss you," he muttered, pushing Ron off first while Hermione let out a muffled sob.

* * *

Harry thrashed madly and Lily soothed him. "Sssh, sssh, Harry. Sssh. You can do this, Harry. You're so strong… I know you'll do what's right … You can do this …" 

Harry turned his tear-streaked face towards his beloved mother and smiled slightly, "I know…" he muttered and Lily returned the smile. "Goodbye, mum." Her face fell as Harry's head lolled lifelessly to the side.

* * *

"_WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA_!" Harry bellowed at the top of his lungs, his wand pointed at Ron, who stopped, floating perfectly, a few millimetres from the ground. With much effort, Harry levitated Ron up next to Hermione, and he looked absolutely _petrified_. Hermione looked more than relived as her eyes looked from Ron and Harry. Harry removed the hexes and stood before his two best friends. "I'm so sorry," he muttered. "I really am." 

"I knew you'd stop," Ron said shakily. "Anyway – it wasn't your fault. Was it? I mean, you didn't really want me dead, did you?" his voice rose slightly at the end.

Harry shook his head. "Oh God no, no way. I'm so sorry, I … it … everything was so confusing."

"It's alright," Hermione soothed. "What matters is that you're back now and we can make you well again. Lucky we have another antidote spare, isn't it? Ron added too much so we had some left over. C'mon, Harry… the sooner the better. You sure you're alright, Ron? You had me scared then!"

"I wasn't scarred," Ron said unbelievably, his voice quivering. "I was shit scarred."

* * *

Not long after the whole Astronomy incident, Harry was given the other antidote that Hermione gave him – this time the two Gryffindor's made _sure_ that Harry drank all of it.

* * *

Doctor Pelzer shone a light into Harry's eyes, he was in the same position as had been when trying to kill his friends. Hislegs were pulled together while his arms hung around them; the Doctor lifted the youth's lifeless head up by its chin as he starred into one eye and then the other. He let out a long sigh as he placed Harry's head back onto his knees, the kneeling Doctor looking up to the boys parents. "No reaction at all. I'm afraid we've lost him… for good." 

"Oh, James!" Lily sobbed, throwing herself into her husbands' arms. He wrapped his arms lovingly around her small waist as he felt himself crying too. "H-H-Harry," she gasped, "Please come back… _Please_."

* * *

_Et Fin._


End file.
